Hi caz
I think the way Direct do it is the first price they give you, is as you quite rightly say, the one that includes the in-flight meals, 20k of luggage and a charitable donation.
Then once you pick yourself up from the floor at the huge cost, cheapskates like me can begin to take those things out of the price, to bring it down by un-ticking boxes.
Ive got tears rolling down my face reading some of the descriptions folk give to their flight meals. There were some on there for Hurgharda and they didn't look too bad, so perhaps that's the sort of food I would get on the Sharm route. The best food looked like it was on the Punta Cana flights.
Just realised I am looking at the wrong ones. looking on Thomas Cook and should be looking on Thomas CooK UK. I'm such a numpty.
Doe